Meals on Wheels Yolo County’s MOW PAWS program keeps pets and their seniors together
by Anne Stokes
In 2021, Steve Pearson was in a low place. Homebound, down on his luck, and hungry, he reached out for help, and Meals on Wheels Yolo County (MOW Yolo) answered. The healthy meals delivered weekly by smiling, friendly and caring volunteers continue to help lift him up to this day.
Back then, he wasn’t the only one who needed some help. Around the same time, a dog that Pearson came to call Smokey was dumped—terrified and covered in wounds—in his West Sacramento neighborhood of Broderick. Pearson was compelled to take him in.
“The first night he slept in my bed,” Pearson says. “He had scars and marks. He was all red and his ears were really messed up.”
Pearson has continued to provide Smokey a loving home with some assistance from MOW Yolo’s Pets and Well Seniors (PAWS) program. The MOW PAWS program was born out of the realization that many seniors receiving meal delivery often put their pets’ nourishment and welfare above their own, and would share or outright give the delivered meals to their pets.
“It’s good for the animals and good for your sanity.”
Steve Pearson, MOW Yolo meals and MOW PAWS: Pets and Well Seniors Program Recipient
Pearson is a perfect example of this: “I’ll starve before Smokey does,” he says.
MOW Yolo’s MOW PAWS program was launched with a founding investment from Cat Tails Feline Health Center in Davis, and with pet foods sourced from Yolo Food Bank. MOW Yolo started delivering free pet food twice a month to recipients of its home-delivered meals program in February 2025. MOW Yolo also is working to connect seniors with veterinary wellness visits and low-to no-cost care, via a budding partnership with UC Davis Accessible Veterinary Care.
“We were aware of similar programs planned and executed by other Meals on Wheels and similar senior nutrition programs elsewhere in the region and the country,” says Meals on Wheels Yolo County Executive Director Joy Cohan. “It always kind of fascinated us as a different articulation of our mission, which is to nourish and engage. When you think about seniors who are isolated—not able to get out much, maybe not having a lot of human contact—that companionship they get from a pet is really illuminated.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pet companionship benefits both physical and mental health. Studies have found it can decrease blood pressure and cholesterol levels as well as improve cognitive function in older adults. Having a pet also increases opportunities for regular physical activity and socialization. Pearson says having Smokey around helps alleviate his anxiety, depression, and makes him feel more secure at home. Walking Smokey regularly gives Pearson a chance to socialize and get out into the community.
Pearson says he and Smokey are both thankful for MOW Yolo’s assistance, and advises people to reach out for help if they need it.
“It’s good for the animals and good for your sanity. It obviously helps our stability as well, just the comfort in knowing that we’ll have food.”
For more information on Meals on Wheels Yolo County’s MOW PAWS program, call 530-662-7035 or email welcome@mowyolo.org. To donate products, supplies, or veterinary expertise, contact Programs Manager Kathy Tuel at ktuel@mowyolo.org or 530-662-7035 x111. More information about all of MOW Yolo’s programs and volunteer opportunities can be found at mowyolo.org.
